Cancelled last year due to the weather, this year the Wairarapa 4WD Club’s Life Flight fund raising 4WD
tag-along was all go(od). Murray Taylor has the story.

Sunday March 31 dawned foggy but patches of the clear, blue sky that lay beyond were already visible as I drove into Masterton and Farriers car park for event start at 8.00am. Registration was confirmation of paperwork followed by a welcome and briefing about the day’s activities along with a handout re the properties the trip was to run through/over and a few important notes to make the day go to plan.

And so, with radio frequencies set, just after 8.00am the convoy of 45 plus vehicles headed out of Masterton on the Castlepoint Road, before a left turn into Bute Road, and a small period stopped while we waited for the fog/mist to clear.

Up, up, up & away!

Then it was into 4WD as we climbed up the first farm track of the day, up, up and up, with mist all around, making for some interesting views of the farmland about. Climb eventually over we continued down through the mist/cloud to Manawa Rd  for the first of two left turns, with the second taking us into Rewa Rewa Rd and Rewa Rewa Station, home of a herd of Shire horses.

At 18-years-old, Gypsy, was born on station owner Rod Clutton’s farm in England with the two younger horses being her off-spring born here. Other animals of interest now farmed by Clutton and partner Patrizio VIeno include Highland cattle, Angora goats and other animals bred specifically for their wool and colour interest, the fibres of which can be found at the Woolshed Museum in Masterton. 

After seeing the animals we took a right turn before the barn, drove through a gateway and the climb started again, up and along a ridge heading to Mount Cameron at 409m, and morning tea on the Airstrip at the top. This time on the climb, the sun came out in force, along with the dust rising on the track as the fog was left behind in the valleys below. With no wind, it was a great spot to stop, catch up with others on the trip and general relax as the sun burnt the fog off from the valleys below. 

The country was dry to the eye, with the odd section of green showing up in the distance along with the Pine plantations seemingly planted at random throughout the landscape. 

Once on the move again it was all downhill, with a couple of steep sections and a tight corner then down some more, past another small pond, then through another gateway for the final drop down onto Spring Hill Road and a quick stop, while the group reassembled and watched those behind come down the hill.

All lined up

Once on the move again, it was on to a gravel road and lots of dust (it still being very dry even with the fog from the morning) with the convoy turning left onto Manawa Road then right into Annedale Road, with a 360 degree turn before the woolshed so that everyone could line up to enter the gate for the next section of farmland, at which point there was another brief stop while a large mob of sheep got driven past while we waited.

From where I was sitting waiting I had a good view down onto the historic Annedale Station woolshed which was built back in 1888, complete with 20 (that’s right, 20) stands, the station – at its peak in terms of size and wool production – covering over 9000 hectares (23000 acres) and running as many as 21,000 head of sheep.

Today it is a still significant 837 hectares (2070 acres) and running a much more manageable 600 stock units. 

Big country

Once the sheep were gone we moved up the track  and onto the ridge heading towards another high point. On our left we had Annedale stream with views towards Ngaumu Forest and the Alfredton Tinui Road. Views of another track on the right across the valley, made me aware of just how much how much farmland in the single basin we had at our disposal. 

The track continued for some time, too, heading up before dropping down into a small gully through a very small creek and around a corner to climb again, past another pond and duck shooter’s Maimai before reaching another high point and stop to take in views.

Heading back downhill again, with the odd slow down as the lead opens another gate, we meet a shepherd on a quad bike along with his dog, who – I must say – was having a great time in the water trough!

This time the distance down seemed very short as we hit the road again, to cross it and head in alongside the woolshed to park up for lunch. 

Having found a spot under a tree, it was time for a drink and slice of bacon and egg pie, with the rest of the time spent talking and reading about the history of Annedale Station, its woolshed and that of the other stations in the valley.

Peninsula Station

After lunch we were back on the road, and on to Peninsula Station, some 1133 hectares (2800 acres), with its tree lined driveway, and large trees fronting what could only be the main station house, something one does not see every day. 

Past a Shepherd’s cottage, complete with the back end of sheep on top of a shed thawing out (dog tucker) we then passed through another gate heading deeper into the station, and climbing again, with the dust still swirling around us as we top out at 360m for a quick break, and another opportunity to look at the surrounding countryside.

Then it is back on track, this time through crop paddocks as we cross into the headwaters of another creek, still at elevation, working our way around the hill tops.

Just before we enter a bush section the call of deer sighted is heard over the radio, from the lead vehicle, not sure how many but it’s definitely the country for them. We then enter the section with good distance between vehicles due to high grass, as the leaders do not want vehicles stopping along the way. 

The bush track leads around the hillside through a small creek head and back out into the open. Working our way down a ridge, with bluffs to our right as we head into the creek below, I spy what looks like  a hunting lodge across the valley.

It’s a wrap

At the bottom of the valley there’s a small concrete farm bridge to cross, before a climb out (of the valley) onto another ridge via a complicated 360 to get through a series of gates. Not long afterwards though and we are on a central race heading down valley, and all to soon we come to a stop behind Kotu Station’s woolshed and yards, the official finish of the off road section.

And so, it’s a big thanks to Wairarapa 4WD Club and its members for running the event on the day, and a special thanks to all the station owners for allowing us to experience first-hand a very special, and historically significant, piece of New Zealand’s countryside!